Finding and telling news stories: Sima Kotecha

How does Sima find stories? - Social media is where Sima finds something compelling which leads to a story - Talking to people on the street or at events can lead to a story idea - What makes a good story?

Can you explain your story or idea to an 11 year old? - ‘Keep it simple stupid’ (KISS) - Real people with compelling stories, different feelings, personalities, problems and issues - "Be bold, be brave, don’t be scared – go up to that person you think won’t talk and ask them for that interview" – Sima Kotecha

What makes a good reporter? - You have to be an expert very quickly. There is no room for getting anything wrong. Read, listen and talk to people - You need to produce your interviewees to keep them to topic. A phone conversation can help - Be bold, be brave, don’t be scared - Building relationships with contributors

Be patient - Listen - You cannot just show up and start recording - Get what you need and leave, before the amount of material you gather becomes overwhelming - Package making

A typical package for the Today programme is just four minutes long and ideally even shorter at three and a half - Have a dramatic clip at the beginning and a dramatic clip at the end - You have to be ruthless - Go for those bits of audio that you know people at home will go wow!

A journalist’s job is to: - Be independent - Conjure up debate - Invite the audience to challenge what they have heard on the radio and make their own minds up - Show both sides to a story - Find answers to questions everybody want’s answers to

A journalist’s job is NOT to: - Over complicate things - Say what is right or wrong - Be dictated to by contributors